Come Undone
by mector
Summary: Hermione, a successful career woman, unwittingly falls in a love triangle with her best friend Ron Weasley, a famous Quidditch player and Draco Malfoy of Malfoy Enterprises.
1. Chapter 1

**Who do you need?  
>Who do you love?<br>When you come undone.**

**CHAPTER ONE**

The excitement in the room was contagious. Parties at the Burrow were sometimes a bit too loud and rowdy for Hermione's taste but she could never say they were boring.

"Everybody come to the kitchen please!," Molly Weasley shouted. Unfortunately, no one heard her but Hermione. She shouted it again and surprisingly everyone turned to stare at her. She must have used a spell to enhance the volume of her voice for it was amazing that anyone heard her at all. The laughing, drunkards, loud wrock music and Percy were deafening.

"Get this damn thing off me you bloody moron."

Percy was still shouting and stomping his feet in rage half an hour after George had transfigured his hat into a monkey. A very clingy monkey she might add, as the cheeky monkey wouldn't stop pulling his hair. Hermione, of course, had tried to help him but George had used some sort of sneaky hex that didn't let her reverse it. "Percy, stop that shouting. George, stop being childish and remove that creature from your brother's head at once or there will be no cake for you." That got everyone's attention. "There's cake?" Ron asked, grinning and initiating the stampede to the Burrow's kitchen. Hermione and Harry trailed behind the Weasley boys.

Charlie, Bill and Percy had all come to the Burrow today for it was quite the special occasion. Ron had been vigorously training at Quidditch Junior League since their graduation from Hogwarts and today he had been offered a position to play professionally on the British Quidditch League as keeper for the Chudley Cannons. The Chudley Cannons, the team Ron had been obsessing over since the age of 5. Needless to say, he was ecstatic and a celebration party had been thrown immediately.

The Weasleys, Harry and Hermione gathered around the large kitchen table where a huge ornate cake shaped as a snitch sat with glowing candles on it. "Looks brilliant," Harry commented earning a wide smile from Mrs. Weasley. Hermione rolled her eyes when Harry turned to her grinning. "She adores you Harry, no need to suck up," Hermione whispered. Harry had confided to her a few weeks ago that he was planning to propose to Ginny soon but he wanted her parents permission first. Harry had never struck Hermione a guy to go about and do things the old-fashioned way but then again, the sweet gesture and was "so Harry." She was so glad to have a friend like Harry Potter and thanked her lucky stars for it everyday.

"Doesn't hurt though," Harry replied.

"IS IT MY BIRTHDAY MOM?" Ron shouted causing everyone to erupt in laughter. Ron had had too much firewhiskey and was completely sloshed. But who could blame him? Today was one of the happiest days in his life and definitely a career milestone. Hermione could just imagine how happy she would be if she knew that every house elf in the world was freed...

"Stop thinking of work," a voice whispered in her ear.

Hermione spun around quickly, laughing in greeting at Ginny Weasley who had finally arrived at the party.

"Caught you," Ginny smirked, laughing, her eyes twin twinkling with mirth. She smiled when she noticed Harry beside her and kissed him in greeting. "Late day at the office?" Harry asked, throwing an arm around her waist. "Yep, I had to stay late and spice up the article about Ron," Ginny said grinning.

The small kitchen was practically bursting at the seams with the latest arrival and it seemed to be even louder here than the living room had been. The cake had made everyone, if possible, even giddier. Hermione watched as Charlie made Ron take another swing of firewhiskey and almost fall when Ginny ran up to him and screamed in glee, enveloping him in an enormous hug. Bill, George and Harry had launched into an animated discussion about the best Qudditch manoeuvres. Arthur Weasley was here too, leaning against the kitchen counter drinking in the scene like Hermione was. He would occasionally reach in his pocket, pull out his handkerchief and dab his teary eyes. Obviously, he was a proud father today as his son had just scored a million galleon Quidditch contract. Percy was sitting gloomily beside Hermione at the table. "Fred should be here," he muttered softly, putting an instant damper on Hermione's mood. He was right of course. Hermione had seen Mrs. Weasley crying about Fred on Mr. Weasley's shoulder earlier when she had taken a trip to the loo, and she had awkwardly tried to comfort them.

Percy offered her a slice of the cake that she politely denied. Unfortunately, Mrs. Weasley noticed.

"Oh no, you must have a slice of cake, dear, no this will not do." Hermione took the piece of cake that Mrs. Weasley practically shoved at her. "Eat this Hermione, you are just looking way too thin these days." Hermione thanked her, taking a bite of the chocolate cake even though she was completely bloated.

She wasn't too thin, there were plenty of girls thinner than her, take Ginny Weasley, for example. She was tall, statuesque with an enviable figure and Hermione was surprised but proud when Ginny had turned down a modelling contract and took up a sports reporter job with the Daily Prophet instead.

"What do you think" Bill asked her suddenly, placing a hand on her shoulder. Hermione looked up startled. It looked as if the boys were attempting to include in her conversation about Quidditch. "Um, I rather like Hippogriff dive," Hermione replied, picking at a piece of loose thread that was hanging on the bottom of her sweater. Actually, she hadn't the darnedest idea what the Hippogriff dive was but she had heard Dean mention something or another about it at work.

"He asked you about work 'mione," Harry said, laughing. Hermione blushed, looking at Bill who was looking back at her confused. "Oh sorry, thought you asked me what my favourite Quidditch manoeuvre was," Hermione shrugged, attempting a feeble laugh. Harry laughed even harder. She shot him a dirty glare. Harry was always teasing her about her lack of Quidditch knowledge. "Oh no, of course not. I was just wondering how your project was coming along," Bill asked, smiling down at her. Hermione rose from her chair, she always thrilled to talk about her project whenever anyone cared to listen. Talking shop was her speciality and delight.

Hours later, the party was still going strong and Hermione was actually enjoying herself. Ron had invited all their Hogwarts friends and the house was packed to the brink with her old Hogwarts classmates. It was awesome catching up with them all for she hardly ever got time with her hectic work schedule. She was surprised that so many people knew of her work project and was delighted when people asked her questions about it. It had been shocking to hear of Neville's and Luna's engagement and it kind of irked her that everyone else already knew. She supposed it was her fault for not keeping tabs on her friends.

Hermione started to feel the exhaustion seep in at around 11pm and decided that it was best if she headed on home. She moved herself through the colourful crowd, intent on finding Ron and wishing him a farewell and final congratulations before apparating back to her London flat. She finally spotted him in the corner of his vast backyard, looking completely drunk but extremely happy, surrounded by Harry, his brothers, and his Quidditch teammates. It was kind of embarrassing to intrude on the small private party but she had to say bye. Who knew the next time she would be able to see Ron. The Quidditch season was starting next week and he would be travelling a lot, and he also had to do lots of press work as he was a new player.

Hermione was relieved to see that Ron had spotted her amidst the crowd and held her gaze. She would say a quick goodbye and leave promptly, lest she keep poor Crookshanks waiting. Hermione approached near enough to hear the drunken gibberish spewing out of Ron's mouth: ...and don't look now, but there she comes strutting along, she's _fucking _a nasty scumbag Slytherin, that one..." Hermione stopped in her tracks, mortified. Ron looked up at her and smiled. "Well, I'm not wrong am I? Tell me, does he call you _Mudblood_ in bed?" An uncomfortable silence descended upon the small crowd. Harry made a sudden angry noise looking ready to pounce on Ron, and Bill had to quickly grab his arms to hold him back. Hermione shook her head at Harry. "He's not worth it, Harry." She shot Ron the meanest glare she could muster. She didn't want to satisfy Ron with an answer. What a bastard. One would think he would at least let it go for one night, especially on a night like this.

Hermione ignored Harry's shouts as she turned to walk back to the house. She couldn't hear what he was saying but it was probably along the lines of: _Oh he didn't mean it, he's drunk, it's just going to take a while for him to adjust, he's in shock is all, he'll get used to it_.

It had been eight freaking months. How much longer did Ron need? Harry was always defending Ron and making stupid excuses for his horrible behaviour. Of course, he would get angry with Ron too for upsetting her but his anger usually dissipated after five seconds. She knew Harry was lying. Ron meant everything he said, he despised Draco and hated her relationship with him and no amount of convincing was going to change that.

Harry, on the other hand, had been nothing but supportive despite his earlier qualms and doubts. He had told her he trusted her judgement and would always support her in her decisions.

When she told Ron about Draco, his reaction had been explosive. _"Out of all the blokes in the world, you choose fucking Draco Malfoy for a boyfriend? Are you out of your mind?" _

They were twenty-four years old yet Ron still thought all Slytherins were evil gits. He had never let go of petty Hogwarts house rivalries while everyone else had grown out of it. The war had changed a lot of perspectives. Snape had been discovered to be a hero for the light, and Slytherins had fought on the light side too. Prejudices had been lifted and finally the magical world was embracing equality for all witches and wizards regardless of blood status and equality of magical creatures as well.

Hermione waded through the crowd inside the house, her mind racing.

Draco had definitely redeemed himself after the war. Of course, his prejudice was caused by little fault of his own, but lay largely on the way he had been brought up. He had been taught to hate muggles and mudbloods and been brainwashed with pureblood supremacy thoughts and other backwards ideas. He had been forced to take the dark mark and his family had been threatened to be killed if he had dared deny Voldemort. In the end, his sacrifice in his sixth year had not saved his family. His father had been sentenced to the kiss of death for his war crimes, and his mother had died shortly after, some say because of a broken heart.

He was no longer a boy but a man now. A powerful man, as he had formed Malfoy Enterprises with the small fortune that had remained after the Ministry had taken the bulk of his inheritance as war reparation payments. The famous Malfoy Mansion had also been taken away from him and was now used as fancy office space for several Ministry departments. His company had succeeded due to the vast family connections he had and the foreign Malfoy companies which the British Ministry had been unable to seize as they were overseas. He had built an empire and had accumulated more wealth than his father or grandfather had had ever had, and was now the richest man in Britain. He never let her forget it either.

Hermione had never in a million years have expected to be in any sort of relationship with Draco Malfoy. It had been through work that Hermione and Draco had crossed paths. Hermione worked for the Ministry of Magic as the project manager of an ambitious Ministry initiative that had been mostly her idea. She had proposed an idea of building a rehabilitation and housing centre of sorts to neglected magical parties such as squibs, muggleborns, house elves, goblins and all magical creatures. Her idea had been approved by the Wizengamot and building had started immediately due in part to a large donation by Malfoy Enterprises. The centre was the biggest philanthropic venture of Malfoy Enterprises and there had been several meetings and social events with executive members. That is how Hermione Granger had come in contact with Draco Malfoy, one year ago. Of course, the beginning of their working relationship had been anything but civil, but things had slowly changed. Eight months ago, on a warm August day she had accepted Draco's offer to go grab lunch. Everything had snowballed from there.

Hermione grabbed her purse from the kitchen and dashed out the front door. It was a balmy April night but a cold wind was picking up. She shivered slightly as she walked to the apparition point.

**R/R.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Who do you need?  
>Who do you love?<br>When you come undone.**

**CHAPTER TWO**

Hermione walked into the modest apartment, sparsely decorated. She had meant for it to be only a temporary apartment when she had gotten her job at the Ministry. However, she had come to love it and didn't even mind the view of the garbage dumpster from her bedroom window anymore like she had before. Of course, her friends thought she had horrible taste. Draco, especially had a strong aversion to her apartment and frequently reminded her. It was tiny and cozy. She had a nice small kitchen with magically altered appliances. She had living room with four bookshelves and a small couch and table and there was her bedroom with the bathroom inside of it.

Her cellphone buzzed and she opened her purse, retrieving it and looking at the screen.

_Still at the party? _Hermione smiled. She had convinced Draco to get a cellphone. She, of course was his only contact but he had happily adapted to the cellphone even claiming that Muggles were brilliant. _No, I am home now. _She replied. She waited for a response but didn't get one immediately, so opted for some reading material.

Today's edition of the Daily Prophet lay unread on her coffee table. She had rushed to work in the morning and hadn't had the time to read it.

'MALFOY ACQUIRES PUDDLEMERE UNITED' blazed the the headline, accompanied by a picture of Draco, along with some Quidditch players smiling and waving, standing in front of a giant flag of the Puddlemere United Quidditch team. Hermione was used to seeing Draco's face on the front page of the Daily Prophet every month or so, announcing his latest business merger or acquisition. She skimmed the three page story, not surprised to see that the article had included a biography of Draco and listed her as his girlfriend.

The media fascination of their relationship was unsettling but the public was devouring it as pictures of Draco and Hermione together sold record amounts of gossip magazines. She skimmed the entire newspaper leaving the sports section. She looked at the front page again looking at the beautiful face of Draco Malfoy. As always, just the sight of him gave her a inner jolt. His was face was like a painting of some fallen angel, all beautiful hard angles framed by all that rich blond hair. The sheer beauty of it was always a surprise to her. Of course, her seventeen-year old self had always thought him to be handsome subconsciously, she would of course never admit it to anyone or even herself. But now, she wondered just how many girls at Hogwarts had had crushes on him...

She averted her eyes from the picture and looked at the smaller headlines. In miniscule font, she read: Ron Weasley chosen as Keeper for Cannons. It was ridiculously small font compared to Draco's headline. She opened the sports section only to see more about Draco and Puddlemere United. On the last page of the section, there was a quarter page article about Ron and every other sentence was about how he was good friends with Harry Potter. She felt something akin to pity for Ron. Draco had 'stole his thunder' so to speak. She wondered for a brief moment if Draco had done this on purpose, to coincide the announcement of his acquisition with the signing of Ron Weasley. Heavens knew Ron loved attention and hated it when it was stolen from him. Perhaps, that is why Ron had lashed out at her, over anger of Draco stealing his thunder?

There she was making excuses for Ron again...not that it was a particularly good excuse if it indeed was true.

Her phone vibrated and she quickly opened Draco's text message. _I missed the last portkey to London. Ill see you tomorrow._ Hermione was surprised to discover that she was sort of disappointed. Was she seriously becoming addicted to sex? Her phone buzzed again. _I have missed you.._ She smiled, she had just seen him yesterday for lunch, sometimes he could be such a sap.

...

She was having the best dream ever, she was eleven years old and on the beach with her parents. Australia, she reckoned due to the fact there was a kangaroo and Steve Irwin lounging beside her. She was eating a hotdog her mother had made her, it had too much mustard but she liked it. The kanagroo started licking her face...

She shifted on her bed, dragging her bedsheets with her. She was in that state between dream and wakefulness now, that beautiful relaxing state of purgatory... There was a warmth against her neck, the sound of breathing. She realized with a start that she wasn't alone on the bed. She listened intently to the sound of breathing. It was Draco. He was kissing her face, her nose, her chin and his lips were creeping down her neck.

"Mmmm, yeah just like that Dean," she murmured sleepily. She felt him stiffen against her.

"Relax," she chuckled. "I know it's you." He relaxed, resuming his kissing. "I would bloody well hope so," he muttered darkly, biting her ear. She chuckled. "What time is it?"

"Time for you to get up," Draco replied, "we are going for breakfast."

Hermione sighed. "But I am so sleepy. Can we just lay in bed all day? Wouldn't that be fun?" she asked, propping herself on her elbow to look at him. He looked immaculate as always, he was already showered and dressed, in his casual weekend clothes that he rarely wore. He gave a whole new meaning to the word workaholic.

He was looking at her strangely. "What?" she asked, smiling at him.

"Are you trying to seduce me, Granger?" he asked. Hermione laughed.

"Is it working?" she asked, reaching to touch his lips.

He grabbed her wrist quickly placed her arm above her head. "Yes," he replied huskily before taking her lips with his. He licked her bottom lip trying to get her part her lips so he could slip his tongue in. But Hermione was not going to let him, she knew for a fact that she had terrible morning breath. And she was awfully insecure about it.

"What?" he asked annoyed that she wasn't letting him deepen the kiss.

"Let's go to breakfast first," she said quickly, freeing herself and leaping out of the bed. Draco fell back disappointed. "Cruel," he muttered. Hermione ignored him and walked to the bathroom. "I'm having a shower," she said, looking back at him sprawled across her bed with his hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling.

"You are welcome to join me," she added. He looked up at her, his face changing and a wide grin spreading across his face.

"Would love to."

...

Hermione joined Draco in the living room after finally deciding what to wear. "Finally, do you always take this long in the morning?," Draco said, putting down the Daily Prophet and looking up at her. Usually, she just threw whatever was nearest on but she always had a difficult time choosing what to wear when she going out with Draco. Not that she would ever confess to that to anyone, least of all, him. Hermione grunted.

"Where are we going?" she asked, glancing at the paper he had discarded. There was a full page article about Ron on the front page. She didn't know if she was happy about that. She was pretty angry over last night but nonetheless, she surprised herself when she wrung the newspaper several feet. She guessed she was more angry at Ron than happy for him. Draco raised his eyebrows questioningly.

"It's nothing," she muttered lowly.

"It's obviously something," Draco pried looking at her. "

Nothing," Hermione repeated, exasperated. Why did he want to know _everything_?

"Are we going or what?" She walked towards the door of her flat. Draco stood up quickly and grabbed her arm tightly.

"We are apparating," he said before she was sucked into the vortex and her breath was stunned out of her.

She landed with a thud, dizzy and disoriented, clutching Draco's arm like a vice. "Don't ever, ever do that again," she breathed shakily at Draco, who stood completely composed with not a hair out of place. He smirked.

"It's only polite to give a bit of a warning before you side-apparate someone, you prat" she said, glaring at him and letting go of his arm. "I could of been splinched," she grumbled.

"I wouldn't have let you get splinched, Hermione," Draco said, annoyed. She believed him but glared at him anyway. She looked around her familiar surroundings. He reached for her hand and pulled her beside him as he started walking at a brisk pace. They had never been to Diagon Alley together before, there was just too many crowds and too many people who stared at them or worse, took pictures.

"I need to ran an errand here," Draco explained.

It was an early Sunday morning though, and the street and shops were almost deserted, except for the popular breakfast spots. Draco led them to one. "Draco Malfoy," Draco said to the man in the front. "A breakfast place with reservations? This ought to be good," Hermione whispered to him. "It's the best," he said grinning. If Draco Malfoy thought it was the best, it probably was.

...

They finished eating and Draco had paid the bill, (Hermione had insisted on paying but he had cast a quick binding spell so she couldn't reach in her purse). This irritated her and she threatened to go home and catch up on paperwork, but Draco promised to go to the bookstore with her after he ran his errand. He knew she couldn't resist a trip to Flourish and Blotts since they were already in Diagon Alley and he was willing to accompany her. Unfortunately, the sun had risen in the sky now and the streets were being packed with the noon rush. An especially large crowd was gathered in front of Quality Quidditch Supplies.

"Isn't he handsome, he's certainly giving Oliver Wood a run for his money" she heard a young witch say to her group of friends who erupted in giggles. "Maybe Chudley Cannons will actually win a game this year," she heard an older man say loudly.

"I wouldn't bet on it," Draco told him. The man looked at him startled. Dozens of other people who heard the remark turned around too. Hermione punched him lightly in the arm. He had just alerted everyone of their presence and here she was hoping to have a quiet, uneventful Sunday. The girls who had been giggling stopped to look at her and Draco before launching into a whispering discussion.

She couldn't imagine what they had to discuss, but damn, if she wasn't curious. It was enough to drive her mad.

"Let's leave," she said sharply, pulling Draco's arm, trying to lead him away from the increasing crowd.

"Hermione, is that you?"

She met Percy's eyes in the crowd, he was wearing a Chudley Cannons toque and was holding several Chudley Cannon posters in his right hand emblazoned by the words 17: Ronald Weasley. Hermione realized with a jolt that this must be the autograph signing she had heard Ron telling Harry about yesterday night. "

Good morning Percy."

"Morning to you too, I was just wondering if you got my memo about the Ministry's new emergency code." She had in fact received the memo early yesterday morning which contained tedious details about what to do in event of a fire. The memo had been the joke of the office and Dean Thomas had sent an edited copy of the memo to the staff that simply read: Cast an _Aguamenti. _

Percy, the Ministry's emergency specialist took his job very seriously and enjoyed spamming everyone with memos every other day.

"Yes, it was quite informative, thank you," Hermione lied.

"Glad to hear it," Percy said, a smug smile across his face. His entire demeanour changed almost comically when he spotted Draco standing beside her. "I-I got to get going," he stammered, giving her a hasty wave and turning back into the crowd.

"Well that was rude," Draco said, pretending to be hurt. Hermione rolled her eyes. "Let's get the hell out of here."

"Don't you want Weasel boy's autograph?"

Hermione punched him again.

"Where are we going?" she asked him, desperately trying to manoeuvre through the large crowd that had trapped them.

"Amanuensis Quills."

"You need to buy a quill? That's your errand?" she looked at him in disbelief.

He nodded in affirmation. He seemed distracted by someone in the crowd and had picked up his pace so that she had to almost jog to keep up with his long strides.

"I have several spare quills at home," she muttered wanting nothing more than to get out of Diagon Alley at that moment. She had ran into a woman carrying a child who had shot her the dirtiest glare ever. She needed that woman to give her lessons.

...

"Why, pray tell, do you require the use of an eight-hundred galleon quill? Does it write in liquid gold?" Hermione asked, tapping her foot impatiently. They had been in the quill shop for nearly thirty minutes and Draco had yet to make a decision. He huffed impatiently in reply, testing another quill on the parchment the shopkeeper handed to him. "Your handwriting is amazing," Hermione complimented.  
>"I know," Draco replied cockily. Hermione rolled her eyes, looking out the window. That was a mistake. The flashes went off. Draco jerked up. "Can I please spell these windows opaque?" he asked the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper glanced at the photographers and back at Draco nervously. "Be my guest, Mr. Malfoy." He took his wand out of his pocket and cast a quick silent spell, and turned to Hermione. "How long were there?" "Don't know, I only just saw them," Hermione muttered. She was awfully glad that Draco had had the hindsight to tell the shopkeeper close the shop for him and allow him some privacy or it would not have been good. The photographers were getting more and more fearless and made an errand at Diagon Alley nearly impossible to do without having it be scrutinized in the tabloids the next morning.<p>

Hermione's cell phone buzzed. _Sorry about last night, Ron was drunk. You know he didn't mean it. He asks for your forgiveness._ She knew Harry would be the one to first talk to her about last night. Ron never ever made the effort to apologize without Harry's assistance.

_Ok whatever. I forgive him, _she replied. And she did. Her anger from the morning had wore off now. Her Ron would never change, who would she to blame him for being himself. And he had been drunk of course. Of course.

**R/R. Fun stuff coming up...**


End file.
